


Hot Coffee

by Zelinkie



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:23:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27140375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zelinkie/pseuds/Zelinkie
Summary: Zelda was in a hurry to make up her mind; her coffee was starting to get cold.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter One

It was chilly outside. A little too chilly, she thought as she wrapped her scarf tighter around her face. It wasn't even winter yet, and she already found herself to be too cold. Windfall was a town that felt the seasons very intensely; its summers were scorching and its winters were freezing. Autumn and spring were the glorious in-betweens that the residents of the town soaked up all they could. In the middle of summer, she would dream about cozy fireplaces and hot chocolate, while in winter she thought of beaches and the bright sun. She just couldn't win. She walked along the sidewalk, admiring the fiery red and orange of the trees lining the streets. A breeze swept through, causing her to let out a cold sigh as she tugged on her jacket, seeking protection from the wind.

Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out of her pocket. She groaned when she saw the message and who it was from—none other than her best friend Midna, being her classically impatient self. _Hurry up!_ the text read. She didn't even bother to respond, she just simply clicked her phone off and stuffed it back into her pocket. She loved Midna, she really did, and she wished she could give her just an ounce of her patience. She slowed down her pace with a little smirk that couldn't be seen behind her plum-colored scarf. She decided to, out of spite, take her sweet time walking to the coffee shop. She wasn't even late to their meeting, Midna was just twenty minutes early. Her phone buzzed again and she didn't even bother to check because she knew it was only Midna complaining about being left on "read."

Zelda let out a hot breath and kept walking, occasionally brushing wisps of her brown hair out of her face. She focused on the brown brick sidewalk, covered in red and gold leaves being kicked up by people walking. She looked at the little shops in the brick building next to the sidewalk, filled with seasonal decor and random antiques. Despite the fact that it wasn't even close to wintertime yet, some shops were already putting out their Christmas decorations. Windfall was a popular tourist destination around Christmastime. People from all over came to marvel at the quaint shops and the snowy mountains that surrounded the town. Zelda wondered, though, if people came just because Windfall looked like a town straight out of a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie. 

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the frantic footsteps behind her, or the initial impact when she was roughly bumped into and knocked to the ground. "Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing her knee. She grabbed for her scarf and put it back on, finding the chill less than pleasing. 

"I'm so sorry," said the boy that had bumped into her. "Um, I'm really sorry." He quickly helped her up and she stopped to take a good look at him. He had blue eyes, dirty blond hair, and pointy ears just like hers. He was wearing a pair of jeans, an almond-brown coat and a deep green beanie. "I didn't mean to bump into you. I'm sorry. I have to go." He handed her her phone that she didn't even notice had fallen out of her pocket and took off running again, weaving in and out of people.

"That's reckless," she muttered to herself, letting out a dissatisfied huff as she shoved her phone back into her pocket. She straightened her hair and adjusted her glasses before she continued walking. While she thought it was reckless, she found it almost comical how he decided to keep running even after he bumped into someone. After walking past shops that carried virtually all the same things, that all looked the same, and the yellow trees that lined the streets, she finally made it to the coffee shop she agreed to meet Midna at: Lenzo's Coffeehouse. She pushed open the glass door and looked around.

She often criticized how stereotypical Windfall was, and the Coffeehouse was no exception. It looked like it came straight out of a movie, with corny coffee slogans everywhere and the walls packed with decorations. The palette was mostly brown, and everything just varied in shades. The owner of the Coffeehouse used to be a photographer, which is why the walls were so packed. He liked to hang up his photography whenever he could, so the Coffeehouse was filled to the brim with his adventures around the world. They were good conversation pieces, she had to admit. Most of the pieces lacked color, which contributed to the boring brown palette of the coffee shop.

Her phone buzzed, and she took it out of her pocket to look at it. _Zelda, stop daydreaming. You're blocking the entrance._

Sheepishly, Zelda looked up to notice people walking around her as she stood right in front of the doors. She quickly moved to the side and was relieved when she noticed Midna fervently waving at her. Zelda quickly fell into the chair across from her, lowering her head onto the table and taking a deep sigh.

"Took you long enough," Midna said as she crossed her arms. Zelda glanced up at her and rolled her eyes. She sat up and back in her chair, brushing some hair out of her face. She reached her hand out to Midna and flicked her dark skin. "Ow, rude."

"Sorry I'm so early," Zelda replied. "Or, late, as you would say."

"Actually, you got here exactly on time, which isn't early." Midna took a hair band off her wrist and tied her fiery red hair up into a ponytail. "Anyway, you can go order a coffee if you want." Zelda smiled and nodded, taking her wallet out of her pocket. She took her coat off and hung it over the back of the chair and put her scarf on the table. She got in line in front of the coffee counter and looked around awkwardly, praying her turn would come and go fast. She was never one for doing anything social—it made her too nervous. She always recited her food and drink orders in her head, just to make sure she didn't slip up. She was the kind of person to question why she said "here" like that when the teacher would take attendance. 

When her turn came, she walked up to the counter. "Hi, welcome to Lenzo's Coffeehouse, what can I get you today?" the cashier asked as he popped his head around the register, his cheery face dropping when he realized whose order he was taking. Zelda's ears turned a bright red and her hand froze in her wallet, little rupees stuck between her fingers.

"Um, could I get—" the boy rested his hand on the register as he leaned over the counter towards her.

"Can I pay for your coffee?" he asked. Now, she was even more confused. Her hand slipped out of her wallet as she gave him a puzzled look. "I feel bad. Y'know, about bumping into you. It's the least I could do, really."

"O-okay," Zelda replied as she slowly lowered her wallet, "if you insist." A soft smile crept onto the boy's face, and she glanced at his name tag. Link.

"Great," he said, his tone much less distressed than before. "What would you like?" She ordered a simple black coffee and thanked him for his kindness. She walked back to the table where Midna was and sat while she waited for her coffee to be ready.

Midna, mouth agape, slowly dragged her gaze back over to Zelda. "I saw all of that," she said. "What _was_ that?" Zelda smirked and raised her eyebrows with a light laugh that gently shook her shoulders.

"Oh, it was nothing," she responded nonchalantly, twirling her hair around her index finger. She rolled her eyes and sighed, still smiling. "Just working my magic." Midna laughed and playfully punched her. Zelda got up once she heard her name called and retrieved her hot coffee from the counter. She walked back and sat down in her chair again, taking a sip of the drink.

"Is it good?" Midna asked.

"I think I burnt my tongue," Zelda responded. "It's super hot, but I guess that means it's fresh."

"So..." Midna was fidgeting, tapping her foot and playing with her fingers. "Are you gonna ask me why I wanted to meet here?"

"Why did you want to meet here?" Zelda groaned. She set her coffee on the table and looked at Midna.

"I wanted to talk."

"We could've done that over the phone."

"I also wanted coffee."

"Fair enough," Zelda said. "So, what's up?"

"I was thinking, well, you know how busy it gets around here during this time of the year. Too many people that don't know what they're doing. So... what if we got out of town for a bit?"

"Like, a vacation?"

"Yes!" Midna exclaimed, a little too loudly. She sheepishly laughed and said sorry to the people that looked at her weirdly. "We can be the tourists for once."

"Where would we go?" Zelda asked.

"Um, I don't know yet. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go anywhere in general." Zelda nodded. "Maybe we can meet up after tomorrow and talk more. I don't have any more ideas."

"You ask me if I want to go somewhere and then you don't have anything planned?" Zelda said with a chuckle. "But, that's fine. We can meet up here again." Midna's eyes lit up and Zelda smiled. She loved seeing Midna so happy. She was also thrilled at the idea of leaving Windfall when the tourists would start to arrive. She wanted to go and do something outside of their small little town that only held value during Christmas. 

Midna started to ramble. "So, anyways, I have this English project I need to get done and I just don't know where to start. They want me to write a research paper, but isn't that more science? Or history? I also have to write a math paper. How do you write an essay about math? What is there to say besides writing down a bunch of numbers..." Zelda smiled and nodded as Midna continued to talk. She absently sipped on her hot black coffee and looked past Midna. She watched people walking outside of the coffee shop window, holding hands and talking and going about their days. She watched two red leaves fall from a tree, vivid against the grey and brown background, floating to the ground and swaying in the wind, landing one on top of the other.


	2. Chapter Two

Once again she was walking past the brown brick buildings with shops of virtually the same wares, once again she was strolling along underneath the boring grey sky and crushing the autumn leaves beneath her shoes, except this time it was seven in the morning, she was beyond tired, and wanted to do nothing but go back home and curl up in her bed. She pulled her scarf tighter around her face—it had a habit of refusing to stay in place or remain even remotely where she put it in the first place. She grumbled a little under her breath out of frustration and kept walking. If she stopped, she was going to be late. With school starting in twenty minutes, her walk taking about fifteen, she didn't have much time to spare. She had a habit of cutting it close every morning, giving herself only a few minutes to make it to class after arriving at the building. On a good day, she'd wake up early enough to get a cup of coffee from the Coffeehouse but now she wasn't sure if she wanted to go there ever again. She told Midna it would be fine if they met there on another day, but she didn't feel okay about it.

Talking with Midna in the cafe was nice. It was the fact that he was there, behind the counter, running around and making drinks while occasionally stealing a glance at her that made it not so nice. She noticed, and it felt awkward. She wanted to drink her coffee and chat with Midna in peace. Maybe she was overthinking—he could've been looking past her or he wasn't even looking in her direction. Perhaps she was just making it all up in her head. Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thought. She already knew who was texting her and why. Reluctantly, she pulled her phone out of her coat pocket and turned it on. 

_You are so slow._

Zelda unlocked her phone and replied, _I know._ She put her phone away and kept walking. At the crosswalk, she pressed the button on the pole to her side and waited. Cars hummed along in front of her, taking their time as they went. She felt someone standing at her side, but she chose to ignore it and keep looking straight ahead. She couldn't ignore whoever it was when they eventually tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey."

She turned to face the person and it turned out to be the boy from yesterday. "Hello," she said hesitantly.

"I wanted to apologize again," he said, "for yesterday. Bumping into you and all." He laughed shyly and ran his hand through his hair. She couldn't deny that he was attractive.

"You already apologized."

"I— okay, well, yeah. I guess maybe I wasn't talking to you to apologize this time." The light turned and Zelda began to cross the street. The boy followed. "I'd like to, you know, get to know you."

"Um." Zelda didn't really know what to say. Was this being "hit on"? She'd never really had any men interested in her before. "That's fine, I guess."

"Okay, cool. Thank you," he said earnestly. He seemed like he really meant it. "So what's your name?"

"My name is Zelda. Yours?" She tugged her scarf tighter.

"Mine is Link. I work at the Coffeehouse, but I think you know that."

"That's nice. Where are you going at seven in the morning?" She was a little skeptical as to why he was following her. There was no way he could be headed to the same place as—

"School." He gestured to the backpack he was carrying. "And I assume you're going there, too, because you have a bag."

She felt so dumb. She didn't notice his dark red backpack slung over his shoulder, but that was probably because she was distracted by his dirty blond hair. It seemed very soft, she thought. She would've liked to touch it. No, that was weird of her, and too out-of-character. She kept her thoughts to herself.

"Of course," she mumbled. "I knew that." They approached the grassy lawn of the school and stopped.

"Okay, I'll see you around," Link told her. "I don't go in through the main doors." He turned around and walked up the lawn to the side of the building.

"Bye," she said, though he was too far away for her to ear. She trudged up the path leading to the main doors and went inside. She made her way through the halls and to her locker. She wasn't surprised when she saw Midna standing right next to it, waiting and tapping her foot impatiently.

"You always get here so late," Midna said when Zelda got in earshot.

"No, I don't. I'm five minutes early," Zelda said matter-of-factly as she turned her lock. "If I was late, class would've started already." The lock clicked and she pulled her locker open. She stuffed her backpack inside the tiny compartment and grabbed the few textbooks she needed for her first few classes. Her scarf hung loosely around her neck, but she didn't adjust it.

"You never take that silly thing off," Midna commented as she tugged on it.

"It's comfy."

"I mean, it is soft." Midna rubbed it between her fingers. "You should totally let me wear it for a day."

"Let me think about that." Zelda shut her locker and started walking. Midna trailed behind her, weaving in and out of other people. "No."

"Ugh, fine." Midna stopped by a door. "Bye!" She slipped into the room and Zelda kept walking through the halls that slowly became emptier as the bell was about to ring. Zelda reached her classroom and dipped inside just as the bell rang.

—

The bell rang again. It was a long and monotonous tone, signaling the end of another boring class about another boring subject Zelda didn't care about. She gathered her books from her desktop and pushed back against her chair. She rose, slid it back in, and walked out of the room into the busy hallway. She peered over the top of people's heads, standing on her tiptoes and tilting her head upwards in order to get a good look. In a sea of brown and blonde hair, Midna stood out. Finally, she caught sight of fire bobbing through the students, and she snaked her way between and around her peers in order to get to her best friend. She snuck up on her and tapped her shoulder.

"Hi," Zelda said, settling beside Midna as they walked together. "How was class?"

Midna rolled her eyes and took a bite of the granola bar she was holding. "How do you think?" Zelda laughed and snatched the bar from her hand. She took a small bite.

"You're eating this now?" Zelda asked through a mouthful. "We're heading to lunch right now." She gulped the granola down and handed the bar back to Midna.

"You just ate it, so don't come at me about it," Midna snipped. "Hypocrite." Zelda smiled and shrugged, and the pair approached Zelda's locker. She unlocked it, put her materials inside and grabbed her lunchbox before slamming it back shut.

"Where's your stuff?" Zelda asked.

"I put it away already."

"Oh, okay. Let's go then."

They followed the flow of a sea of students to the cafeteria, passing through a small set of double doors in order to get inside. The flow eventually dispersed into several different currents of people heading to their tables, the salad bar, or the hot lunch lines. They bobbed and swam amongst each other like fish, much less coordinated than a school of them, all finding their ways to where they were meant to be. Zelda and Midna sat together at a table across from each other. Zelda zipped open her lunchbox and pulled out a sandwich. Lifting it to her mouth to take a bite, she stopped when she noticed Midna didn't get anything to eat.

"Where's your food?"

Midna tapped the table with her finger, glancing around anxiously. "I forgot to pack an actual lunch. That's why I was eating that granola bar." Zelda frowned. She felt bad for assuming Midna just couldn't wait to eat. She peeked into her lunchbox and pulled out some celery sticks, setting them down in front of Midna and gesturing to them.

"Eat that," she demanded.

"You really don't have to—"

"Please?" Zelda pouted. "For me?" She batted her eyelashes. Midna laughed and reached for the bag of celery sticks, tentatively reaching inside and grabbing one. Zelda smiled and leaned back in her chair as she took a content bite of her sandwich. Her eyes grew wide, however, when she noticed someone familiar standing in the middle of the lunchroom, looking for a table to sit at. She tugged her scarf tight around her face and dropped her head onto the table.

"What's wrong?" Midna asked, her words muffled from the celery she was eating. Zelda simply shook her head and mumbled something. When Midna told her she didn't understand, Zelda leaned over the table and whispered to her.

"Look. It's him."

Midna smirked a little as she scanned the lunchroom and caught sight of him standing there, seemingly looking for someone. She thought she knew who.

"You're not gonna believe it," Zelda continued. "This morning, he found me on the way to school and told me he wants to get to know me. How weird is that?" Midna wasn't listening. She nodded, still smirking, as he caught sight of the pair and walked over. He approached from behind Zelda and gave her a small tap on the shoulder. Zelda squeaked in surprise and turned around in her chair to face him.

"Can I sit with you?" He asked, setting his tray down in the empty spot next to her. Zelda nodded shyly, sending Midna a look that screamed "help me." Midna was not, in fact, going to help her. Instead, she leaned closer to him and smiled.

"What's your name?" She asked him, resting her chin on her hand.

"My name is Link," he said. "I, um, bumped into your friend the other day. I gave her free coffee, though, so we're good." Midna nodded and smiled amusedly.

"Oh, I know all about that," Midna replied. She looked straight at Zelda. "She just wouldn't stop talking about you." Zelda grew pale as she heard the words come out of Midna's mouth.

"Midna!" She hissed. "Shut up." Midna shrugged and sat back in her chair. She took another celery stick out of the bag and munched on it slowly.

"Really?" Link said as he turned to Zelda.

"No," she said, shaking her head vehemently, "not really. I didn't even bring you up. I said absolutely nothing about you." Link chuckled and raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, sure," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm. Zelda took a frustrated bite out of her sandwich.

"Link, why'd you decide to sit here?" Midna asked. He shrugged.

"I just felt like it. I usually eat outside, but since Zelda and I are friends now, I thought, 'why not?'" Link took a bite of his lunch and Zelda shifted in her seat. She wasn't necessarily uncomfortable—she just thought his straightforwardness was odd. She wasn't used to this kind of attention, and she didn't know what to think of it. There was a bout of silence as they ate their food before Link turned to her. "Can I get your number?"

Zelda paused, her sandwich raised midair and mouth agape. Midna laughed as Zelda's face filled with red like a glass being filled with Kool-aid. She took a deep breath and set her food down, closing her mouth. 

"Sure," she said through gritted teeth. She took her phone out and read her number to him. He sent her a practice text. She rolled her eyes when she saw what it said: _Sup._ "You happy now?" Link nodded excitedly. She sighed and pulled her scarf taut around her face. She finished her sandwich and zipped up her lunchbox.

The bell rang, and she praised the Goddesses. "Okay, Midna, let's go," she said quickly, standing up from her chair and grabbing Midna's arm. With a deadly grip, she dragged Midna away from the table.

"Bye, Link!" Midna called as Link took off in the opposite direction. She broke free of Zelda's grasp and turned to her with a distasteful gaze. "Now what was all that about?"

"What was _what_ about, Midna?"

"You acted so sour."

"I barely know him and he keeps trying to butt into my life. This all started when he bumped into me. Maybe if he paid more attention, I wouldn't have to deal with this."

"I think you're just scared of boys," Midna said. "Specifically boys paying attention to you."

"I am totally not."

"You acted so nervous around him. Could you make it any more obvious?" Midna playfully punched Zelda's arm. "Do you like him?"

"I mean... he's kinda cute. But I have zero interest in him," Zelda answered hesitantly. Midna smirked and stopped in the hallway.

"Bye, Zelda. I'll see you for coffee tomorrow after school." She walked away from Zelda and down the hall. Zelda continued on, merging back into the flow of her peers. She fingered her scarf and softly pulled on it.

Did she really like him? She thought it was odd how she didn't even know he went to her high school and suddenly he was pestering her to be his friend and to get her number. Maybe he really was interested in her and not just trying to find someone to pick on. If that were the case, she'd be willing to give him a shot, but only if he backed off a little.

She sighed, tugged her scarf once more, and walked into her class where the only thing that stayed on her mind was Link.


	3. Chapter Three

Zelda slid her books into her bag and hauled it over her shoulder as she stood up. The bell rang shrill in her ears as people spilled out of their final classes of the day. She hurried her way down the halls, weaving in and out of people and keeping her eyes glued on whatever was ahead of her. She bumped shoulders and knocked arms with some people, but she eventually made it out of the school and began her walk towards the coffee shop. It was a particularly cold day, so her scarf sat snug and warm around her face and neck. Her eyes darted from trees to the buildings to the sidewalk and back to the trees and then maybe the sky. For some reason, she found it hard to focus.

That absolute dolt Link sat at her table again that day, and he stayed true to his character and talked the whole time, sprinkling in some teasing towards Zelda while Midna sat and watched. To Midna, it was just another source of entertainment. To Zelda, it was puzzling. It wasn't that it made her uncomfortable, she just wasn't used to the attention and also how comfortable Link was around her. It was a stark change from the shy boy that paid for her drink at the coffee shop. Maybe since Link thought they were friends, he found it okay to be so loose around her. She thought otherwise, considering they barely knew each other, but what could she do?

Her phone buzzed and she held it up to her face. _Hi._ It was from Link, and she almost cleared the notification before eventually opening her phone and responding.

_Are you walking right now?_

_Yes. Why?_

_Maybe you should pay attention to where you're going before you bump into someone again._

She didn't get any more text messages from him after that. She smiled to herself underneath her scarf. She knew that at times she was clever, and she wouldn't deny it. Her wit wasn't a mistake. She liked to think that she got most of her wit and humor from Midna, who was far more comedically inclined than her. Perhaps, sometimes, Zelda forced it—whether to get creeps off her back or to diffuse an otherwise tense situation—but generally she had some natural talent.

She knew Midna was already waiting for her at the Coffeehouse. Midna had fewer classes than her due to meeting most of her credit requirements, so she was able to get out of classes earlier than most. Midna, on top of being a natural comedian, was also incredibly smart. She excelled academically to the point that her classmates began to alienate her, and that's what attracted Midna to Zelda—Zelda _wanted_ to be friends with Midna. Zelda would often initiate conversations with her, and eventually Midna found comfort in the brown-haired girl.

Zelda's phone began to buzz again and she didn't even bother to open the messages because she saw Midna's name and decided she was too tired to bother. Instead, she shoved her phone in her pocket and decided to walk without thinking of it. It was just her, the crisp autumn air, the fiery leaves, and... the tourists. Everything would've been so much better without the tourists. They were loud, they hogged the sidewalks, and they walked excruciatingly slow. They'd stop in the middle of the walkway and huddle up in their groups, _ooh_ -ing and _ah_ -ing over whatever fancy trinket they had just bought in one of the dozens of antique shops.

"Hey!" Someone called in the distance. "Hey!" This time the voice was closer. Zelda stopped and turned around, her expression unamused and annoyed because she knew exactly who it was.

"Hello, Link," she said with an eye roll. She crossed her arms as he walked up to her and waved cheekily. "Do you need something?"

"Geez, don't get too excited," Link huffed. "I'm starting to think you don't like me or something." He chuckled at his own joke even though he knew it was true.

"Only a little bit."

"Great. Anyways, where are you headed?"

Zelda started walking again. "The Coffeehouse. Why?"

"Oh, me too. And I was just curious."

"Well, it's a good thing you're going there—otherwise I would've thought you were following me or something. Like a creep." Her voice oozed with sarcasm as she raised her eyebrows. Zelda grabbed her scarf and held it in place.

"For sure," Link sighed, half-listening and half-being distracted by the leaves. "Anyways, what are you meeting Midna for?"

"Coffee."

"Yeah, haha, very funny. But why?"

"We're planning our trip."

"Ooh, that sounds exciting. Where are you going?"

"Well," Zelda laughed," we actually don't know. That's why we're meeting today." She let go of her scarf.

"Okay, well, I have to ask you something."

Zelda gulped. "Ask me what?"

"We need to work on our project tomorrow, so will you come over to my house and do it with me?" Zelda stopped, blinked, and looked at him.

"What project, Link?"

"You know—the history one. Actually, you don't know, because you were in the nurse's when it was assigned. Don't worry, I claimed you as my partner so you didn't have to be stuck with some random—"

"You're in my history class?!" She interrupted, pulling her scarf tight again. Link slowly nodded and she watched a giggly smile creep onto his face. "We're _partners?_ " He nodded again and hid his laugh behind his hand. It was true; Zelda had had a headache during her history class so she went to the nurse to get medicine.

"You know, you don't pay attention much," Link said as he ran his hand through his hair. "You didn't know I worked at the coffee shop, you didn't know I was in your school, and now you're just realizing I'm in your history class. You're a bit of a putz."

Zelda scoffed and playfully smacked his arm. "That's rude," she replied defensively.

"Would you just answer the question? Will you come to my house tomorrow to work on it with me?" He asked again, this time more pressing and urgent. Zelda sighed and looked at the sidewalk.

"I suppose."

"Thanks, Zelda."

They walked in silence for some minutes before they stopped in front of the doors to Lenzo's Coffeehouse. Link let out a nervous sigh, his breath cool and grey as it hung in the air. He ran his fingers through his hair again and avoided her gaze. "Well, I go in through the back. So... I'll see you."

"Oh, okay. Bye," Zelda said and she watched him disappear around the corner past the front doors. She pushed one of them open and patted her face—well, her scarf, which was like a second face, a mask—gently. She let out some quick air before looking around for Midna, who she found in the same spot as the other day. She walked over, set her backpack on the ground, and easily slid into the chair across from her.

Midna glanced around with a mischievous smirk before leaning toward Zelda and whispering, "I saw that."

"You saw nothing," Zelda responded matter-of-factly as she pulled out a small notebook. Midna leaned back and sipped her coffee, eyeing the notebook.

"What's that for?" She asked between sips.

"Planning our trip. It's easier if we write everything down so we can keep track of what we decided."

"You know," Midna started, "we don't have to go anywhere fancy. We can just go over the mountains and to whatever town we end up in. Like an adventure, except with maps because I don't really feel like getting lost." Zelda chuckled.

"I mean, I'm not opposed to the idea, but we still need to plan something." Zelda whipped out her phone and pulled up the map application. "See, we could go here... they have some good restaurants, or..."

Their chatter was drowned out in the typical coffeehouse talk that was around them. People smiling, talking, laughing, drinking their coffee. Some people taking orders and making drinks, just like Link, with his handsome face and soft hair that she wanted so desperately to feel just once.

"Or... um..." Zelda trailed off and furrowed her eyebrows. Midna raised one.

"You're distracted, Zelda."

"No, I'm not. Um... we could go—"

"Thinking about _boys_?" Midna teased.

"Actually, I'm not thinking about boys," Zelda retorted. "I'm thinking about a boy." Midna rolled her eyes and took a drink of her coffee.

"I am going to take a wild guess on who it is." 

"Go ahead. It's a tough one."

"Link."

"Unfortunately."

Midna laughed and set her cup on the table. "Why?"

"I have to go to his house tomorrow," Zelda explained, "to work on the history project he made me his partner for. No, I did not pick him. I was in the nurse's."

"Wow, it must be so tough to be you," Midna said sarcastically. "Getting swept off your feet by a cute boy inviting you to his house. I think he likes you."

"We barely know each other."

"Crushes develop fast. Who knows, this could be one of those ones that disappears in a month after really intense feelings. Like he gets burnt out from having a crush."

"Well, that's mean," Zelda pouted. "But... I don't think I'd pass him up. You know, if he asked." Midna rolled her eyes.

"You say that but I know you would freeze up and panic. However, I can't imagine being his partner is all that bad."

"Hopefully not. Maybe I can get him to do all the work." They laughed together and Zelda hovered over her notebook. "Can we go back to this?"

"Sure."

And their chatter was drowned out again, amongst the tourists and the locals and the baristas and the students and everyone around.


	4. Chapter Four

She shivered in the cool autumn breeze and played with the scarf between her fingers. Outside the front doors of the school, people poured out onto the sidewalks, some to the student parking lot, and some to the bike racks. Zelda chose to stand to the side of the doors and up against the brick wall of the building. She leaned against it, one hand toying with her scarf and the other idly scrolling through her phone. Every few minutes she'd sigh, contemplate texting him, and then decide against it and continue to scroll. At lunch that day, Link had told her to wait outside the school for him, and she agreed. She didn't know where he lived so it was a good idea to wait and have him lead her. However, she didn't expect to be waiting ten minutes for him to come out of the same building she did. She knew it didn't take that long to exit, but she also knew Link liked to make trouble for himself. Maybe he bumped into another girl he was going to follow for a few days and then ask to do a project at his house. The idea made her oddly jealous.

She was about to cave in and finally text Link to hurry up before she just went home and left him to do the project by himself when he walked out of the front doors. His backpack was only halfway zipped and he looked frazzled. He walked over after he spotted her leaning against the wall, her face annoyed and lips pulled taut.

"Hey," he said in an embarrassed voice. He obviously knew that he'd taken too long. "Sorry."

"What took you forever?" Zelda asked as she slipped her phone into her pocket and let her scarf settle around her face, covering her mouth and the tip of her nose. "I was waiting."

"I know you were. I got held up by a teacher and— yeah."

"Okay then." Zelda shrugged. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah." 

Link began to walk toward the student parking lot and Zelda followed him there. They walked between the rows of cars until they finally walked up to a small gray one that had a few scratches and even a dent. As Link opened the driver side door to get in, Zelda stopped and stared skeptically.

"Um..."

Link shook his head and sighed. "Look, I know it looks like I'm a bad driver. I know. But I bought this car used for dirt cheap and it came like this."

"I don't know if I can believe you, of all people," Zelda said with an eye roll. Link smiled a little and closed his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but only shrugged and got in the car. Zelda walked around to the other side and got into the passenger seat, where she was pleasantly surprised by how clean the interior was. There was no trash anywhere, not even straw wrappers or fortune cookie slips. 

Link looked at her with a smug smile. She rolled her eyes again. "Okay, I can believe you."

Link started the car and pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. It was a smooth ride and, on top of her surprise at the interior, she was impressed by his driving, but that was mostly because she herself couldn't drive. Despite the driving being smooth, the car ride was quiet and awkward. Was she supposed to say something? Make conversation, ask a question? She didn't know, so she didn't try. The whole time they drove he kept his hands tight on the steering wheel, his eyes darting around every now and then and occasionally biting his lip. At one point, he sucked in a breath like he wanted to say something, but just exhaled and didn't.

Link pulled into the driveway of his house. They got out of the car at the same time and Zelda trailed behind Link as she looked at the house. It was a small little brick house, comfy and cozy, cute, quaint. She admired how homey it looked. Link slipped his key into the lock and turned it. He opened the brown door and stepped inside, and Zelda followed. The pair removed their shoes and Zelda noticed the house was much bigger than it looked, but not by very much. She followed Link to the table that sat between the kitchen and the living room.

"So, this is my house," Link said finally. "Not much."

"I think it's cute."

"Thanks."

Zelda set her stuff down on the table and sat in one of the chairs. "Where are your parents?"

"Working."

"Makes sense."

Link sat down, and they looked at anything but each other for a few minutes. Finally, Link sighed and scratched his head.

"This is really awkward."

"Yeah," Zelda agreed. She took her history book out of her bag. "Should we just start?"

Link stretched and sat back in his chair. "Nah," he said, "I don't want to yet." Zelda frowned and crossed her arms.

"I came over to work on a project with you, so can we _please_ —"

"I want to..." Link shook his head. "Good Goddesses, how do I say this?"

"What, Link?" She was getting annoyed now, her brows furrowed and scarf still sitting across her face.

"Okay, first of all, do you ever take that scarf off?" Link asked, raising a brow. She shook her head. "Great Din..."

"Do you have an issue with it?" Zelda snipped. Link shrugged and frowned.

"No, I just like your face."

It was a good thing the scarf covered her face because he was unable to see her cheeks redden. However, he could still see her eyes grow, and he smirked.

"Are we gonna work on the—"

"Zelda," he interrupted again. "I think I like you."

She was unamused but her face grew redder. She sat back in the chair. "That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny!" His voice went up an octave, and Zelda could tell he was nervous.

Zelda shrugged. "It's hard to tell sometimes."

"Okay, well, are you gonna say anything?"

Zelda hummed and looked at the floor, pulling her knees up to her chest in the chair. "I don't know. Link, I don't think I like you like you like me."

"What?"

"I don't reciprocate your feelings." 

Link looked at the table and sighed. "Okay," he said slowly. "Well... would you just... think about it?" Zelda sighed, a heavy one that lifted her chest, and rolled her head to the side. There were some moments of silence before she spoke.

"Fine. I'll think about it," Zelda said at last. Link's expression brightened and he unzipped his backpack to set some papers on the table.

"Thanks, Zel," Link said.

"Zelda."

"Sorry. Zelda. We can start our project now." 

Zelda reached over to her backpack on the table and unzipped it, pulling out the same papers he did. She tapped her fingers along the hard cover of her history book while he set up across from her. She watched him. His hair softly settled atop his forehead, sweeping to the side, so soft and shiny, and she wanted to touch it so bad. She didn't know why—she certainly didn't feel much for him. But his hair on his face was a perfect match, she thought, so handsome and photogenic. She was never one to obsess over a boy's appearance, but this was different. She also really enjoyed his eyes, blue like the sea but also with a hint of grey, cloudy and foggy, like a storm was coming. She loved that and his ears, pointy like hers, with blue hoops dangling lightly from his lobe.

"...elda. Zelda."

"Huh?"

"You were daydreaming. Do you want to start now?"

"Sure." She opened her book and turned to the topic they were working on. She didn't even notice when her scarf began to slip off her face.

—

"Thanks, Link, but it's okay. I can walk home. I don't live very far."

She stood outside the front door, him on the other side of the threshold, warm and cozy in his cute brick house. He cringed a little.

"Okay, but just be careful. Tell me when you get home."

"I will. Bye." They waved at each other before Zelda turned and walked down the driveway, and she knew he was watching because she didn't hear the door shut. When she was at the end of the block, she whipped out her phone to text Midna.

_You're not gonna believe this._

She put her phone back into her pocket while she walked, waiting for a reply. She knew Midna would be excited for her, more so than she was, which was ironic considering Zelda was the one that got confessed to. It took about five minutes for Zelda to walk home, and she was shocked to realize how close she lived to Link. Her house was similar, but on a slightly larger scale, and the trees around her house were younger than his.

As much as she hated autumn for all the tourism it brought, she enjoyed the bright colors and parts of the weather. She liked to sit on her back deck with her dog curled up in her lap and read a book as she gazed at all the red trees behind her house.

She opened the front door. "I'm home!" she called. Her mother shouted back, something she couldn't make out, but assumed she welcomed her home. Zelda unwrapped her scarf from around her neck and discarded it on the bench in the entryway. She briskly walked up the stairs and to her room where she pulled her phone out again. She had a text from Midna.

_What?_

Zelda smiled and sat down on her bed, her thumbs flying on the phone keyboard.

_Link told me he likes me._

She didn't get a response for a few minutes, but eventually her phone buzzed.

_What?! Call me now._

Zelda dialed Midna and held the phone to her ear. She was met with frantic talking, fast words, some shouting. Midna asked what happened about five times before she finally let Zelda speak. So, she told her.

"Then I told him I'd think about it."

"Girl." There was silence on the other end. "Girl, you are so stupid."

"I am not!" Zelda scoffed. Midna laughed.

"You have a cute boy that confesses to you and you don't say yes?"

"Nope. Because I don't know."

"That's fair, I guess, but Zelda... I'd really consider it. Seriously."

"I know you would."

On the other side of the phone, Midna sighed. "Okay. Anyways, did you see what happened..."

They talked until the sky turned from grey to dark blue to black, until the sun had set and the moon had rose, and even after all those hours of speaking, Zelda still didn't know what she wanted to do.


	5. Chapter Five

"Get coffee with me after school."

"No."

"Please?"

"I said no."

"With a cherry on top?"

If Link was anything, he was persistent. Zelda stuffed a bite of salad in her mouth and chewed as Link spoke in her ear, begging her to get coffee with him after school. She rolled her eyes and stabbed a piece of lettuce with her fork. "I said no!" She threw her scarf around her face.

Link plunked down in the seat beside her with an inhuman groan. He set his head and arms on the table and shook his legs like a middle schooler after their mother tells them to wash the dishes. "What do I have to do to get you to go?" he asked.

Zelda thought for a minute, feigning thoughtfulness as she tilted her head. "Nothing," she replied finally, "because I'm not going."

"It's like you don't like me or something," Link mumbled grumpily. "We had such a good time working on the project. Why won't you do anything with me now?" Zelda shrugged and took another bite. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and then set it down on the table and looked at him.

"Link, I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"I know what you want—an answer. But I just don't have it," she explained. A smile spread on his face.

"I wasn't asking for an answer, was I? Did I say, 'Zel, please give me an answer'?"

She sighed. "I suppose not." She stuck her fork in her salad and let it sit there while she adjusted her scarf. "Also, it's Zelda."

"But Zel is cuter."

"Please, Link, just let me have this one thing," she pleaded, "for the love of Nayru." Link sighed and pulled one of his knees up to his chest. He rolled his head and popped a knuckle on his hand.

"Whatever. Will you please just come get coffee with me?" he asked again. Zelda narrowed her eyes at him as she picked her fork back up and took another bite of salad. She chewed it, eyes on him, and then swallowed. He looked at her weirdly, eyes scrunched in confusion, mouth twisted in slight disgust at the way she stared at him. She took a swig of water, still peering into his soul, and swallowed. She let out a big sigh after her drink and smiled. She looked at him. He tensed up, waiting for whatever verbal grilling he was about to receive.

"Fine."

Link immediately relaxed and even cheered a little, pumping a fist in the air. He grabbed Zelda by the shoulders with the biggest smile she'd ever seen plastered on his face. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou—"

"This doesn't mean I'll date you," she interrupted flatly, holding up a palm. "Sorry."

"I know," Link responded with a sigh. "I get it. Anyways, I'll drive us to the shop after school, so just meet me where we met yesterday."

"Sounds like a plan, Stan."

"Who's Stan?"

"Never mind." Zelda shook her head and proceeded to eat her salad, lowering her scarf and then putting it back in place after each bite.

"Hey, have you seen Midna? Doesn't she usually sit here?" Link asked as he subtly scooted closer to Zelda. She held up a finger as she chewed, then turned to him.

"First of all, back up. Second of all, yes, but she had to make up a test today so that's why she's not here." Zelda eyed the piece of lettuce impaled by her fork. "I imagine she's very hungry."

The bell rang, and Link stood up. "Well, Zel, I gotta go—ooh, that rhymed. I'll catch ya later, okay?" He shoved his chair in and sped off before Zelda could protest.

"It's Zelda," she called after him, but not really, because he was already long gone in the monotonous sea of students. How badly she wanted to leave Windfall she couldn't describe, just to get out of her everyday and into a new place with new possibilities. She wanted to go somewhere where the seas of people weren't boring, but rather new and exciting. Maybe she was in the wrong current. Zelda stood up from her table and joined the flow, bobbing out of the cafeteria, swimming along the waves of people.

"Boo," someone said in her ear, and she jumped. Her hand clutched over her chest and scarf down around her neck, she turned around to see Midna with the stupidest smile on her face. "Hey."

"Hi," Zelda said, taking a deep breath and stepping in pace next to her.

"You wanna get coffee later?"

Zelda winced, her eyes darting between Midna and the white ceiling and the peppered tile floor. "I can't," she told her. "I'm..."

"You're what?" Midna asked, leaning into Zelda's face which grew red like a tomato.

"I'm getting coffee with someone else, actually," Zelda said, her voice trailing off at the end because she didn't want to reveal who. The teasing from her best friend would be endless.

"Oh Din."

"What?"

"You're getting coffee with Link?!" Midna shrieked, and Zelda hurriedly shushed her.

"I did not say that," she hissed.

"But I'm right, clearly."

Zelda nodded and sighed. "Unfortunately." The pair stopped outside Midna's classroom. "Don't stalk us while we're there. Please."

"Psh, why would I do that?" Midna joked. Zelda rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. Midna and Zelda could both name the many times Zelda hung out with someone and she stalked her. One time, she went with a male friend to a restaurant, and she caught Midna looking in through the window with a pair of binoculars. It felt like a scene out of the latest Disney Channel show, just without the annoying laugh track.

"Goodbye, Midna. We can get coffee tomorrow," Zelda said firmly and with a smile before she walked away. The rest of the day was the same as her life always was—float from class to class, say hello to some friends and teachers and do schoolwork. She was excited to go on her trip with Midna to get away and to not have to see the annoying tourists.

Zelda stood outside the school building and hugged her coat tight against her body. She had tucked her hair into her plum scarf to prevent it from whipping around in the harsh autumn wind. Leaves swirled around her before settling back on the pavement and then picking back up again. Her scarf kept her face warm and away from strange eyes. Eventually, someone tapped her shoulder, and she knew it was Link. 

"Hi," she said.

"Wow, you greeted me first. Hi." He flexed his fingers before settling them, like he wanted to grab her hand but knew she wouldn't like it. Zelda noticed, but didn't say anything. However, she thought it was charming.

"Okay, then. Let's go." Zelda followed Link to his car and hopped into the passenger seat. Link pulled smoothly out of the student parking lot and cruised down the street toward the Coffeehouse.

"Tell me what you want and I can sneak in behind the counter and make our drinks," he said. "They won't mind."

"Just a black coffee. You know, the usual."

"Sounds good." Link tilted his head in thought. "I'm glad I bumped into you that day."

"What?" Zelda looked at him. Nervously, she fiddled with her seatbelt.

"I said I'm glad I bumped into you. I didn't even know you existed before that but I'm happy that I know now. I think you're interesting."

Zelda looked out the window. She watched the brick buildings and bundled-up tourists whiz by. "Good interesting or bad interesting?"

"Good. You're funny and cute."

"Cute," she repeated in a mumble. She rolled her eyes. "Sure." They pulled into a parking spot along the curb next to the shop and stepped out. Link held the door to Lenzo's Coffeehouse for her and she walked in. He followed behind her and dipped behind the coffee counter and set to work at a machine. In the meantime, Zelda found an empty table next to a window where she sat down and pulled out her English book.

She fingered the corner of a page nervously. Maybe she would tell him yes, but no, she didn't really know, but she thought he was super cute and oddly nice to her, but she wasn't ready for a relationship, but maybe she was, but maybe she just liked the attention, or maybe she really truly liked him. She herself wasn't sure. She knew Midna wanted to meet for coffee tomorrow, so she'd talk it over and see what she thought. Perhaps that was pointless because Zelda already knew how Midna would answer and wouldn't provide any sort of critical thinking or reasoning. She adjusted her scarf so it sat comfortably around her face.

She was startled out of thought when Link sat across from her and set her piping hot coffee down in front of her. She lightly touched the cup, just grazing it with her finger, and decided to wait to let it cool. Link took a swig of his coffee and gulped before looking at her.

"Why did you want to get coffee?" Zelda asked him.

"To spend time with you," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because I like you."

"I know that but— like— ugh, why?" Link shrugged and tapped his cup with his fingers.

"I think you're a little funny," he admitted, "and cute, like I said in the car. You're pretty. I don't know, I've never felt like this before, at least not this strongly." He took another sip. "I just think we would work really well together, Zelda."

Zelda sat back and looked out the window. "I'm still thinking about it. I just don't know. I can't tell if I like you."

"You can't... tell?"

"I've never liked anyone before," Zelda confessed. She set her book down and picked up her coffee and took a tiny sip, the scorching liquid burning her tongue. "Wow, hot."

"I know I am," Link joked with a smirk. She rolled her eyes. "Okay, well, did you see what Ms. Rhoam said today? I was trying to ask her a question and then she..."

Zelda nodded and smiled along to what Link was saying as she stared at the black coffee in her cup. She tapped her fingers rhythmically along the white ceramic, occasionally glancing out the window at the autumnal scenery. Maybe she could tolerate her little town of Windfall if she had someone to tolerate it with. She cupped her chin in her hand and gazed at him as he spoke. when she realized she liked his voice—deep and smoky with a slight husk. An hour passed while they talked together, sometimes laughing, sometimes sipping their coffee with nothing but silence between them. As he went on about one of his coworkers at the Coffeehouse, she stared down at her coffee. She didn't even notice how by that time her scarf slid down to hang loosely around her neck. Gently, she moved the cup to make the coffee within swirl. Zelda was in a hurry to make up her mind; her coffee was starting to get cold.


	6. Chapter Six

Zelda rolled over in bed and stared at her alarm clock with tired, hooded eyes. It was about ten in the morning, much later than the time she had to wake up for school, but she still wanted to curl in a ball and fall asleep under her blankets. She couldn't, though, because she was meeting Midna at eleven for coffee at Lenzo's. She yawned and pulled the covers up to her face, burying it in them in one last attempt to be comfy. She pawed for the phone on her nightstand and, once it was in her grip, brought it close to her face. She unlocked it and sighed at the usual wasteland her notifications were. She was hoping maybe Midna sent her a text, or even Link—

No, not Link. That's weird. She didn't like him, did she? Of course not. She threw off her blankets and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She stretched and trudged over to her vanity, slumping and rubbing her eyes. She plunked down on the chair in front of it and stared at herself in the mirror's reflection. Brown hair, small and shapely nose, blue eyes. He liked her face. _He likes my face_ , she thought. She grazed it with her fingers, poking a pimple on her forehead, brushing her eyebrow hairs into place. She picked up a brush on the vanity and slowly dragged it through her long hair, humming a little tune as she did so.

There was a small knock at her bedroom door, and she told the person on the other side to come in. The door slid open and her mother poked her head in.

"Hi, sweetie," said her mother. "Just wanted to see if you're up."

"I am," Zelda yawned. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Zelda's mother walked across the room and sat on her bed. "What's up?"

"What do you do when a boy likes you?"

Her mother smiled, almost giggled, knowing exactly how her daughter felt. "Well, that's up to you. Do you like him back?"

Zelda set the brush down and sighed. "I don't know."

"Maybe you do know and you just can't come to terms with it," her mother suggested. "You've always had an aversion to boys."

"Maybe I like girls," Zelda said with a shrug.

"Maybe you do. You can also like both. It's okay to still be figuring it out, dear."

"Mom, I think I like him."

"That's wonderful."

"Thanks. I'm going to keep getting ready now."

"Sure." Her mother stood up and walked over to her child, playing with her hair and looking at her in the mirror. "You are just so pretty."

"Okay, a little embarrassing now," Zelda laughed. Her mother patted her on the head and walked out of her bedroom, leaving the door open. Zelda got up and shut it before venturing to her closet to pick an outfit. She settled on a black skirt and a brown sweater, warm and cozy, with little white flowers embroidered along the neckline. She coupled it, of course, with her favorite scarf. She went to the bathroom to wash her face and teeth before heading downstairs to see her mother off to work.

When her mother left, it was about ten-thirty, so Zelda decided to start walking into town. Being a little early wouldn't hurt anyone, she thought, especially Midna. She mused about how Midna was probably already sitting in Lenzo's Coffeehouse, tapping her foot and debating whether or not to text Zelda. She decided to do it for her and held her phone up to her face.

_I just left my house. I'll be there soon._

She put it back down at her side as she walked through her neighborhood. She recalled how near Link's house was and wondered what he was up to. She considered paying him a visit, but thought it would be too pushy or creepy and ultimately decided against it. The trees were a burning red on that cloudy Saturday when she walked through her neighborhood. The next day she would be leaving for her trip with Midna, where they'd drive over the mountains and into some less Christmas-cliche town.

Eventually she made it into town where the tourists were doing their usual things and the locals theirs. The buildings were still brick and the sidewalks still crowded, the shops still selling Christmas antiques. Nothing ever changed in Windfall; it was stuck in an endless cycle of burning hot summers where it lay forgotten and freezing cold winters where it was a tourist hotspot. Zelda made her way through the various visitors and eventually to the Coffeehouse. She checked the time on her phone—ten-fifty—and headed inside. She was not surprised to see Midna waiting, but she was surprised that she hadn't spammed her inbox. She walked over and sat down, making sure her scarf was pulled up high enough for her to feel comfortable.

"So where'd all this new self control come from?" Zelda asked as she settled in her seat, referring to the lack of texts.

"My phone died."

"Of course it did."

"Are you excited?" Midna asked, leaning over the table. "We get to get out of here tomorrow. I'm psyched."

Zelda smiled. "Me too. You know I hate this place."

Midna chuckled and took a sip from her ceramic coffee cup. She gulped and set it on the table before raising an eyebrow at Zelda. "So... y'know. Have you made up your mind?"

"Made up my mind? About what?"

"Hm, I dunno, the cute boy that confessed to you two days ago?" 

"Okay, no need to be snarky," Zelda replied with an eye roll. "But, um, yeah. I think I did."

"Really? So what are you gonna say? Yes, I hope?" Midna was practically bouncing in her chair.

"Well, I talked to my mom about it, and myself, and I've come to the conclusion that I will go out with him."

Midna stared at her flatly. "The way you delivered that made me way less excited," she said. "Talking about a conclusion... jeez, this is a person, not a scientific paper."

"Whatever, Midna. Are you happy though?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yes, very much so."

"Good. I'm gonna text him later today and tell him."

Midna cringed. "Ew, you're telling him over text...? You are so lame." Zelda rolled her eyes again and stood up.

"I'm gonna go order coffee," she told her before walking to the line. She got in at the back and mindlessly scrolled through her phone while she waited, shuffling forward every now and then, but at one point she shuffled too far and bumped into the person in front of her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, looking up. Her face fell when she saw Link with the stupidest smirk on his face. He flicked her nose and laughed.

"Look who's bumping into who now, Zellie."

"Goddesses, that's even worse than Zel."

"I know! Isn't it great?" He scrunched his nose teasingly. "Anyway, wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I wasn't expecting to see you—at least, not in front of the counter."

"I get free drinks so I like to take advantage of that sometimes," he explained. "Are you here with Midna?"

"How did you know?"

He pointed over to where Midna was half-laughing, half-choking from trying to suppress her laugh, and pounding her hand on the table.

"Ah. I see."

Link didn't respond as he got to the front and placed his order. He stood off to the side while Zelda placed hers, and eventually followed her back to where Midna was sitting.

"Hi, Link," she drawled, her voice heavy with laughter. She hid her smile behind her hand while her body shook with giggles. Zelda sighed and sat down across from her.

"Midna, there's no reason for you to act weird," Zelda scolded. Link rolled his eyes.

"Yes there is," he said. "She knows I like you and she knows that you don't know how you feel about me, so of course she's gonna act weird. The boy that likes her best friend is standing right in front of her."

"Don't be so logical, Link," Midna said. "That goes over Zelda's head." She barked with laughter at her own joke and Zelda yelled a defensive "hey!" while Link watched in amusement.

"You two are funny." Link's name was called and he went to retrieve his coffee and came back with two in hand. "I got yours, too, Zel."

She sighed and said, "Thanks." She didn't even bother to correct him that time because she knew he wouldn't give up the nicknames. Midna, with her perky and mischievous smile, hands clasped over her mouth, glanced back and forth between the two.

"Okay," Midna said as she stood up, "I'm gonna leave you two alone. You guys can talk, right? That's something you're both capable of? Great. Bye." Before either of them could protest, Midna sped out of the Coffeehouse and watched outside from the window, her face flush against the glass and eyes wide.

Zelda groaned. "I guess you might as well sit down, then," she told Link, who obliged. He wiggled awkwardly in his chair, his eyes darting around the room and looking at everything and everyone but her.

"So..." Zelda began, holding her cup with both hands and exhaling. "Um, I think I have something to tell you."

"I already know what it is," he said forlornly. "You don't like me and don't want to go out with me, but we can still be friends. Am I right?"

"Not at all," Zelda replied, her tone colored with surprise. Link perked up and stared at her in shock. "Actually, I gave it some thought, and decided..."

"Decided...?"

"I decided that I'll date you. I'm pretty sure I like you."

"Pretty sure?" Link narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in a playful way, and Zelda chuckled.

"Not pretty sure. Very sure."

"Can I call you Zel without you correcting me?"

"Um," Zelda hesitated. "Okay, I guess. But don't overdo it."

"Thanks, Zel." Link hummed, took a sip of his coffee. "I love you."

"Okay, slow down. We got together two seconds ago."

"Fine. Anyways, do you wanna do something tomorrow?"

Zelda took a sip of her coffee and looked out the window thoughtfully. "I'm leaving with Midna tomorrow for our trip," she explained, "but we can meet at a park and Midna can pick me up there."

"You're leaving tomorrow?" Link asked sadly. "Really awful timing you have."

"I know, but I'm making a compromise. Do you want to or not?" She lowered her scarf.

He perked up, eyes shining and smiling wide. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Okay, Link." She finished her coffee and waited for him to finish his. "Will you walk me home?" Link stood up and pushed his chair in before offering her his hand. Nervously, she took it and pulled herself up.

"Sure," he said, beaming down at their intertwined hands. "Awesome."

They walked out of Lenzo's Coffeehouse together, hand-in-hand, heart-in-heart.


	7. Chapter Seven

"Zelda! Make sure to pack some warm clothes. It's going to be chilly!" her mother called from downstairs, her voice distant and muffled due to the walls. Zelda sighed and threw a t-shirt on the bed.

"I know," she grumbled back. She plopped down on the floor, her fingers sinking into the carpet as she groaned. She hated packing—it was monotonous and boring, but she also found it rewarding. The sooner she finished packing, the sooner she could meet Link at the park and the sooner she could go on her trip with Midna. She laid on her back and stared at her ceiling fan as it whirred in a blur. She pulled her phone up to her face and frowned when she didn't see any notifications. She figured Midna would be doing last-minute packing just like her. Zelda tried to call her, but she didn't pick up. She was too embarrassed to try to ring Link, so she didn't bother and instead sat back up. She ran a hand through her warm brown locks and stared at the floor. She was beyond bored.

She fought the boredom by forcing herself to stand back up and keep packing, replacing most of her t-shirts with sweaters and her tank tops with hoodies. She did not put her favorite scarf in the luggage because she knew she would wear it when she went to go meet Link. That was when an idea struck her.

She took out her phone and started typing, phone rocking back and forth between her fingers. _Can you get us some coffee and bring it to the park?_

She waited for a moment and received a thumbs-up emoticon back. She wished he could make just a little more conversation, but it was whatever to her. She'd live. She went back to stuffing some more shirts into her luggage before moving on to her pants and eventually her toiletries. By then, it was about eleven-fifteen in the morning, and Zelda decided to just leave it up to Lady Luck that she packed everything she needed. She zipped her luggage shut and lifted it onto the floor. What she did not trust Lady Luck with, however, was her wallet, so she did double-check that. She wasn't entirely careless.

She rolled her luggage out of the room behind her, careful going down the stairs as it bumped down each step. Thump, thump. When she reached the bottom, she stretched and watched her mother scurry across the room.

"What are you doing?" Zelda asked, her eyes darting to her mother. 

"Oh, Zellie, I made you some cookies to bring with you on your trip. For you and Midna. Not Link."

"Not Link?"

"I'm just kidding," her mother said with a smile. She handed Zelda a bag of small chocolate chip cookies. A timer dinged in the kitchen and her mother jumped in surprise before running to it. Maybe telling her mother about Link was a mistake, Zelda thought.

"What else are you making?" Zelda wandered into the kitchen behind her frantic mother.

"Oh, well, since your father and I will have time to yourselves, I'm making a nice big dinner just for us." She pulled something out of the oven and looked over her shoulder at her daughter. "Maybe one day you and Link will have nice big dinners together." She winked, and Zelda cringed.

"That's... okay, mom. Glad you think so." Zelda leaned against the wall. "I won't be the one doing the cooking, though."

Her mom rolled her eyes with a grin. "Oh, I know you won't. Anyways..." Her mother wiped some sweat off her brow and idly wiped her hands with a light pink rag. "What time are you meeting him?"

Zelda tapped her foot and thought. "I don't know... eleven-thirty?"

"You better get going then," her mom said. She nodded at the clock, her smile hiding her laughter, and Zelda followed her gaze.

"Oh. Oh!"

It was eleven twenty-five. If she wanted to make it to the park in time, she'd need to run there. 

"Okay, then... um, bye!"

Zelda snatched her luggage and ran to the door, hurrying to unlock it. "Do you have everything?" her mother shouted. She threw her scarf around her neck, a blob of fabric hiding her face.

"Uh, maybe!"

"Ugh, Zel...!"

Her mother's voice faded away as she sprinted down the street, her luggage bouncing against the pavement of the sidewalk, teetering and tottering this way and that. The cookies jumped around in their bag, her phone clutched in the same hand. Link would be able to be there on time, she knew, because he had a car, but she was a different story. She didn't know how to drive yet, unlike him and Midna, because it made her incredibly anxious. Especially in her town filled with inconsiderate tourists, accidents were common. However, when she was in the car with Link or Midna, she felt oddly safe. Content, almost. At ease.

She finally reached the park and let go of her luggage. Hands on her knees, hunched, she fought to catch her breath. She was horribly out of shape and she knew it. Part of her hoped Link didn't have rippling abs and toned muscles. She sat down on the curb, still panting, and scrolled mindlessly through her phone, hoping she'd receive a stray text or call. She just wanted something to do.

Her breath caught in her throat and she lurched forward when someone tapped her shoulder unexpectedly.

"Oh, sorry."

She turned around and took the coffee that was held out to her. "Hi, Link," she said with a smile. "It's okay." Instantly, she felt better. She stood up and wheeled her luggage over to a bench where they decided to sit together.

Link stretched and sneakily—well, not really—threw his arm around Zelda, letting it rest on top of the bench. Zelda took a sip from her coffee, warm and comforting in the midst of the autumn chill, and Zelda let a smile settle on her lips. He couldn't see the smile because of her scarf over her mouth, but he could tell it was there.

"So, how are you?" Link asked before drinking his own coffee.

"I'm okay. Very excited for the trip, though. But packing sucks."

"Yeah, I get that." No, he didn't. He'd never been on a vacation in his life.

She turned to face him. "So, what are you going to do while I'm gone?"

"Hm... I don't know. Live life like normal."

"Wow."

"I'm just joking." He chuckled and stared at the playground in front of them. "Maybe do some autumn things. Like, jumping in leaves. People do that, right?"

"Maybe."

"I can bake, actually. Pies and stuff."

Zelda blinked. She didn't know that. "I didn't know that."

"Well, now you do."

"Tell me more about you. Like your favorite things. Colors, animal, you know."

Link propped his left leg on his right and leaned further back into the bench. He took a swig of coffee and gulped it down. The cool wind swept his hair to the side and he narrowed his blue eyes against the stinging gusts. "My favorite color is blue and my favorite animals are wolves."

"Why?"

"Blue is cool and wolves are cool."

"I can assume you are very deep and philosophical," Zelda jokingly concluded. Link smiled and slowly nodded.

"I am really simple, Zel. And that's not a bad thing."

"No, it's not." She felt comfortable. She hooked her finger on the soft fabric of her scarf and pulled it down below her mouth and let it lay loose around her neck. "I might be the opposite."

"Okay, then what's your favorite color?"

"Hmm... pink."

"Why?"

"Because it's nice." They both laughed at the realization that maybe she wasn't as deep as either of them thought.

"We're more similar than you think."

"Sure," she agreed. When he subtly slid closer to her, she didn't object. "Are your parents still out of town?"

"No, they came home recently."

"Did you tell them about me?"

"Yeah..."

Zelda raised an eyebrow. "Why do you sound hesitant?"

"No reason. My parents are just very embarrassing and were more than a little excited to hear about their son's new girlfriend."

"You didn't tell them about you bumping into me—"

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. Zelda smiled and took the final sip of her coffee. She stood from the bench and walked to the trash can, tossed it, then returned to Link.

Quickly, Link snagged the scarf in his hand and pulled it over his head, successfully trapping them together in the scarf. Zelda blushed a hot cherry red, tripping over her words and sputtering noises. Finally, she was gathered enough to say something.

"Your face is very close to mine."

"You are so observant," Link teased. He poked her nose and her face turned redder.

"And you are very... touchy."

"Thank you."

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Link snaked his hand up to cup her cheek. She sat there unmoving in shock, her words dying on her tongue, the only thing noticeable being the blatant confusion in her eyes. Link closed his eyes and tilted his head and slowly leaned in. Zelda, still unmoving, parted her lips a little and—

She pushed him away with a laugh. "You are moving way too fast," she said. "We'll get there when we get there." Link shook his head and sighed with a grin. He ran a hand through his hair and laughed as he pulled the scarf up from his neck and ducked out of it.

"Okay, okay. Sorry."

"It's okay. You're kinda funny."

"Thank you, Zelda." He poked her nose again and she laughed. The sound of a chugging engine came to a halt along the curb, and there was a quick honk. Link and Zelda looked in the direction of it to see Midna waving from inside her car. Zelda quickly stood from the bench. She kissed her index finger and pressed it to Link's cheek.

"I'm leaving now," she said while she grabbed her luggage. Link followed her to the car and waved.

"Okay."

Zelda rounded the car to the passenger door and stopped. "You'll wait for me?" she asked.

"I will always wait for you," he assured her. She waved at him and got in the car. The door shut with a satisfying thud and Link watched them through the car windows. The two girls high-fived before Zelda began to animatedly speak, moving her hands and making facial expressions. Before Midna sped off, he caught Zelda point a finger at her lips and nod. He watched the car glide down the road, headed toward the cloudy fall sky. 

"Always," he said again, lower and to himself. "Always."

**THE END**


End file.
